Spend the money on this grinder! Your espresso machine will perform to the peak of its ability.
Positive Product Points
This machine delivers consistently excellent grinding. I keep reading about tweaking the machine to produce even better results but the coffee produced by this machine works exceptionally well on just the factory setting.
Negative Product Points
I agree that the doser fork is too low and either should be raised or some sort of extension should be added to the left side of the doser chute to keep the coffee directed to the portafilter. I can't imagine what they were thinking when they attached the power cord to the side of the grinder, but if these are the only shortcomings of this machine, its still a home run.
Detailed Commentary
After purchasing a Solis Maestro and opening the package to look at the machine inside, I immediately repackaged the machine and sent it back to the supplier. It looked like a tinker toy. By comparison, the Mini was liberated from its packaging with no shortage of effort to free its 22 pounds of cosmic grinding ability. I goofed around with the adjustment dial a little to accommodate the pressurized Solis Crema SL-90 portafilter. After the non-pressurized portafilter for my SL-90 arrived, I set the Mini on the factory arrow and haven't moved it since. I get tiger striping and the funky little brown specks everyone raves about with every shot I pull. Not bad for an idiot that can barely find the on switch in his AM post-nocturnal haze! I don't know if I'm pulling the definitive deity shots, but the stuff that comes out of my machine tastes great and has beaucoup crema. I never attached the hopper. I just load up the grinder input to the brim with beans and put my tamper over the beans to keep them from hopping out as the machine grinds. This produces enough ground coffee for each day's use.
Buying Experience
Placed the order. Sent the money. The machine arrived. It works great!
Three Month Followup
I've put about 6 kilos of beans through this machine without as much as a burp from the grinder. I think Mazzer would do well to design a small load hopper for this machine so I can just grind what I need for the day. Past that, my earlier review will remain unchanged.
One Year Followup
My opinion of this machine is unaltered. I merely have more experience grinding beans. Same setting and experience every day with superlative results. Ho Hum!
